Efficient Windurst Starting Guide 1-11

From HorizonXI Wiki
CAUTION!
This article is only a guide. Information expressed in a guide is usually more opinion than fact and should be taken as such. Guides are written by players, based upon their experiences, successes and mistakes, and are meant to aid other players. However, there may be differing opinions than those expressed in a guide.
Strategies and information in guides may not work for everyone.
Hello and welcome. Here is an extremely streamlined leveling route for beginning Windurst citizens on the Horizon server. By the end of this guide you will have:
  • Level 11
  • Rank 2--having completed the first three Nation Missions
  • 25,000 gil worth of items in your posession, as well as the nation ring, and an item that grants bonus experience.

The guide is geared both towards brand-new and returning players. If you are not new to the game, you're going to value this guide for its efficiency. All of these things are accomplished--at the same time! If you're new, I've tried to provide you with all the necessary information. If you follow this guide, you'll be methodically introduced one-by-one to a variety of the game's concepts and challenges while exploring its vibrant world, and you will end up ahead of the average player.

As fitting to this game I've tried to retain a little mystery and discovery. I won't hand you every answer, but I will give you all the tools you need to attain them yourself. You'll benefit from paying attention to what NPCs say, experimenting, clicking links in the guide, and thinking things through. That said, if you ever get stuck, try a /shout ingame or ask on the discord server. Help is never far away.

By the end of the guide you'll have been introduced to the three major gameplay loops of the game: advancing the story, making gil, and leveling up--and you'll be in a great position to enter party-based play with others. From there it is your destiny. Please enjoy.

config solo or with a player or 2 trade get stuck: discord

-Yam, Sept. '24

The Adventurer Coupon

  • To begin, open the map and proceed to the point labeled with a green and yellow "beginners'" arrow. Your first task is to teach yourself how to trade your Adventurer Coupon to the NPC located there.
    • Trading is the main mechanism in the game to complete quests or give NPCs the items they desire. You'll be doing this often so make sure to learn it well.
Tip: To efficiently travel around Windurst there are "Warp Tarutarus" positioned around the city. Their locations are shown here

Tutorial Quest #1

East Sarutabaruta

  • Time to leave the city and begin your first foray of combat.
  • Once outside, figure out how to eat a strip of your Meat Jerky.
  • Learn how to equip your weapon, and consume your spell scroll if you're a mage.
  • Your primary goal is to stay in this close vicinity and slay easy, level 1 monsters until you reach level 5. Your second goal is a Rarab Tail. Keep slaying until you find it. We will need this for an upcoming quest.
  • If you stray too far you will absolutely be ruthlessly slaughtered by a monster.
  • Once you reach a high enough skill level with your weapon, a Weapon Skill will appear in the menu. Practice using it.

Level 5

  • Once you have reached job level 5, successfully executed a Weapon Skill, and obtained a Rarab Tail, it's time to head back into the city.
Hint: Only one type of monster in the vicinity drops Rarab Tail, but which type may surprise you...
Tip: Weapons are the most important way to improve your damage, while food is the second most important--even moreso than armor

Tutorial Quest #2

Windurst Woods

  • Talk to Selele and advance the Tutorial Quest. She'll instruct you how to craft an item. Do so, then progress to the stage of the Tutorial Quest where she asks us to visit the Auction House
Tip: You can obtain Nation Missions by speaking with a Gate Guard stationed at any of the city gates, or at the center of the city, outside the entry to Heavens Tower

Port Windurst

  • Once at the Orastery head inside and speak with the mages until you get a clue to the whereabouts of the minister. (cutscene)
  • After the cutscene, take a detour down an alleyway and behind a warehouse to G-5
  • You will encounter a gang of children. Speak to their leader. (cutscene)
  • Once you've handed over your Rarab Tail, you can continue to speak to them for another quest.Verification Needed
  • Return to the Orastery and speak with the Warp Taru up on the roof

Windurst Walls

  • You'll be whisked away to to the roof of the Auction House in Windurst Walls. Proceed below and inspect the Auction Counter to try it out.
    • If you would like you can sell your reward from the previous quest for a nice chunk of change.
  • If you happen to have found any beaten-up pieces of wayward mail the nearby postman Ambrosius will be interested to see them returned.
  • Walk South from the Auction House & enter Windurst Woods
Tip: Usually on the Auction House it's most efficient to sell items 12 at a time, in stacks. Listing single items is very time consuming so consider hanging onto them until you have completed a full stack.


Windurst Woods

  • Continue walking south until you can take a detour West (right). This path leads to your Mog House, your ingame residence. Continue inside.
    • Take a break here to store all items that you aren't using in the Mog Safe to free up inventory space.
  • Head back to the Eastern gate to complete the Tutorial Quest with Selele.
  • We're rewarded with a free, incredibly useful item from the Conquest Overseer.
    • There is a difference between the three rewards, but don't concern yourself too much with which you choose. Recharging is the same price as a new ring so once you've used it up it is completely safe to dispose of and try one of the others. You'll find which you like best.
    • Take a look at the other items the Conquest Overseer offers. Some are quite good, and many are in demand on the Auction House for tidy profits.
    • If you can afford it purchase an Instant Warp scroll from the Overseer. You should always have a warp in your inventory--don't leave the city without it! Sooner or later it will save you a long walk.
  • When ready, depart the city.

Windurst Mission 1-1

East Sarutabaruta

  • Our destination is entry tower #5 of the Inner Horutoto Ruins
  • Equip and use your EXP band.
  • Along the way we're going to start encountering monsters above our level, and aggressive monsters who will attack unprovoked. You're going to want to check each monster you encounter to determine how strong it is relative to you, and avoid or kill monsters as you go, appropriate to your level.
  • I'll say the highest monster level in the relevant area. If you want a challenge go there when you're 1 level below. If you don't, level up where you are until you're 1 or more levels above.
  • Our next quest objective is 4x Wild Onion.
    • These are dropped by Goblin Thugs so keep an eye out for them.
  • Crawler type mobs are a good source of profit
  • Once you've reached J-7, the cat outside the tower might have a clue as to the whereabouts of the minister.
Tip: When the game says a monster is an "even match," it really means it. Your chances of survival are probably 50% or less. It's recommended to stick to "decent challenge" or "easy prey" monsters.


Try not to get into any fights you can't finish--Once a fight starts with a monster, the only escape is changing zones or death.

Inner Horutoto Ruins

  • Proceed below and search for where the minister lies in hiding.
  • Often, there will be other players here of your level. If you'd like, see if they want to team up.
  • If you enter a gray, rocky cave area--a “beetles burrow”--do not proceed further into it! The minister is not this way.
  • After you find the minister and get a cutscene you are tasked to search the 6 Ancient Magical Gizmos around the room until you obtain Key ItemCracked Mana Orb
  • Once found, warp or walk back to town.
  • Once in town, use the Warp Taru beside the roundabout to reach Port Windurst. Head to the Orastery to complete Mission 1-1!

Highest Monster Level: 7

Windurst Mission 1-2

Outer Horutoto Ruins

  • Our main goal is to inspect all 6 Ancient Magical Gizmos, placing our Dark Mana Orbs inside.
    • Two are hidden
  • Once we've done so, proceed inside the doorway on the eastern wall (cutscene)
  • Retrieve all 6 Key Item Glowing Mana Orbs from the Ancient Magical Gizmos
  • Try to obtain 4 Wild Onions before we leave, or plan to buy them on the Auction House
  • Continue leveling here until you're level 10
  • Head up the stairs and exit the ruins (cutscene)
  • Return to town.

Highest Monster Level: 8

  • Be very careful of Balloon type mobs. They are stronger than other mobs, aggressive, and lie hidden inside.
  • Bat trios continue to be passive, but single bats are aggressive.

Windurst Woods

Windurst Mission 1-3

Giddeus Highest Monster Level: 10


Congratulations! You've completed the guide and are now in a commanding position to progress in the game. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we all have.